MMA News: Koscheck on GSP, Silva, Harris, Lauzon and More

1. Rousimar Palhares signs new deal: According to a report from Brazilian website Tatame.com, Rousimar Palhares has signed a new four fight contract with the UFC. And according to his manager, Murilo Bustamante, he wants a rematch with Nate Marquardt. “He’s very motivated, he know that he let the victory escape, he made a mistake, but these things happen in life, but he’s crazy to fight Nate again.” I agree with the signing, but I disagree with the rematch. True, Nate did capitalize on a pause, but Palhares shouldn’t have paused in the first place. Maybe down the line.

2. Joe Lauzon had legs made of concrete: In an interview with the Boston Herald, Joe Lauzon described what happened in his fight with George Sotiropoulos. “I figured the second round would be more like the first. But getting off the stool for the second round, my legs felt like concrete. I don’t know why or what happened. I felt pretty good at the end of the first, but at the beginning of the second I felt dead. It was like I got worse. Instead of recovering, I got way worse… It had to be an adrenaline dump.” He has looked suspect in the cardio department. Great fighter, but needs to build up that cardio if he ever wants to become a champion.

3. Koscheck thinks GSP is a quitter: Josh Koscheck told Fighter’s Only that he thinks GSP has quit in him. “I have a great gameplan and my thing is, I don’t think George has a good chin and I don’t think his hands are that good. So I want to keep this fight on the feet and knock his ass out… I believe he hasn’t been hit since Matt Serra. That was a good crack. His chin hasn’t been tested and I think Georges has quit in him. If you look at the first Matt Hughes fight where he arm barred him, he was tapping before it was even tight. If you look at when little Matt Serra was on top of him pounding him, he tapped out. So I believe that Georges has quit in him and you just have to take him to that point. Nobody has been able to do it since those two but I plan on doing it on December 11th.” I don’t know about all that. I think it would be pretty crazy if Koscheck did knockout GSP, but I don’t think GSP has quit in him.

4. Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva finds a new opponent: MMAJunkie.com is reporting that Strikeforce has found a replacement fighter for Valentjin Overeem. Mike Kyle has stepped in for an injured Overeem, and he’ll face Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva this Saturday at Strikeforce: Henderson vs. Babalu. Not a bad replacement at all. Kyle is a pretty good fighter, 8-1 overall, with his only loss coming at the hands of Fabricio Werdum. This isn’t as interesting as Overeem/Silva, but I’ll take it.

5. Gerald Harris talks about his release: Following his release from the UFC, Gerald Harris told MMAJunkie.com that he understands the reason for it. “I didn’t show enough initiative to win the fight. If it was a [preliminary-card] fight, I probably wouldn’t be in that much trouble, but they gave me the opportunity of a lifetime (on pay-per-view), and I blew it. I really blew it. I have nothing to blame it on. I’m not blaming it on the choke. I had a great training camp. Everything was great other than the fight. I have no excuses, none at all.” Harris has a great attitude and understands he messed up. I don’t know if releasing him was the correct course of action, but I see why it happened. I’m sure he’ll get one or two wins outside the organization and he’ll be back.